Adjustable scaffolding



Jan. l, 1963 D. R. PlLTlNGsRUD ADJUSTABLE scAFFoLDING Filed June l5, 1959 .lll

liao g- 259 20 @rates Fat-ent ffice 3,07LZ4 Patented Jan. l, 1983 3,071,204 ADJUSTABLE SCAFFGLDING Dale R. Piltingsrnd, New Richland, Minn. Filed .lune 15, 1959, Ser. No. 820,149 Claims. (Cl. 182--27) This invention relates to scaffolding structures and in particular to those of the collapsible and adjustable type.

An important object of this invention is a platform supporting scaffolding structure which is vertically and longitudinally adjustable to accommodate workmen and articles at different elevations and permit the use of scaffolding platforms of varying lengths.

Another object is a scaffolding structure which is vertically and selectively adjustable at either end to permit the scaolding platform to be maintained level or horizional regardless of the unevenness of the supporting surface spanned by the scaffolding.

Still another object is a scaffolding support structure of the collapsible variety which readily and easily breaks down or folds into a unit wherein all the elements thereof lie in a common plane for ease in transport or storage,

Still another object is a platform supporting scaffolding structure which in itself provides a complete support for a scaffold platform and which is made up of two independent sawhorse units which may be used as such independently or in pairs or which may be cooperatively united to provide a sturdy unitary supporting structure.

Still another object is a scaffolding structure in which the individual sawhorses when used independently are individually vertically adjustable to permit the supporting of a platform at different elevations.

A still further object is a scaffolding structure in which the individual sav/horses may be collapsed so that the elements thereof lie in a common plane and in which the angles between the supporting legs thereof may be varied as desired.

Another object is a scaffold structure having a ladder element associated therewith and carried thereby which also collapses into the common plane of the other elements comprising the scaffolding structure which ladder element makes easier the climbing of the workmen to and from the top of the scaffold and the platform supported thereby.

A further object is a scaffolding structure of the class described having vertically extensible cooperating leg members, the lower members of which are provided with foot pedals, permitting said lower members to be held stationary while the upper members are raised or lowered as desired.

Still another object is a collapsible folding scaffolding structure which is horizontally or longitudinally and vertically adjustable wherein all of the movable elements are telescopically or hingedly mounted for ease in setting up, breaking down or adjusting of the scaffold.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. l is a perspective View of the scaffolding of my invention in assembled working condition;

FlG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the folding platform supporting units which comprise the scaolding structure of my invention in assembled operating condition for use independently;

FIG. 3 is a top plan View of the foldable platform supporting unit of FIG. 2 in collapsed transport or storage condition with the various elements thereof lying in a common plane;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view on a reduced scale showing the ladder element in another form of my invention; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged `detail view of the foot element.

The scaffolding of my invention comprises a pair of identical scaffolding horses or sawhorses which may be employed independently as platform supporting units which horses are best seen in assembled operative condition in FIG. 2. These horses may be used independently in assembled condition as best seen in FIG. 2 to provide a support for a scaffolding platform or for any other purpose desired or the independent units may be cooperatively engaged to form a single integral scaffold supporting structure of the type illustrated. in FIG. 1. The individual independent horse units are indicated generally by the letter H and in the preferred form of my invention are identical in all respects. Each of these sawhorse units in the preferred form of my invention as shown in FIG. 2 is provided at each end with a pair of upwardly converging legs 10 and 11 which are swivelly or hingedly mounted at their converging ends to a common elongate tubular platform supporting member 12. The legs 10 and 11 are freely swingable on said platform supporting member 12 and may be hingedly mounted thereon in any suitable fashion.

In my preferred form, the legs 10 and 11 are provided at their upper ends with collars 10a and 11a respectively which enclose in hinged fashion an inner tubular member 12a carried telescopically within the supporting member 12 and which provides the supporting hinge or bearing surface for the collars 10a and 11a, it being desirable in the preferred form to have the outer peripheries of the collars 10a and 11a and the supporting member 12 in aligned or fiush condition.

In the preferred form of my invention and throughout the `discussion and description thereof, the various elements are of tubular construction unless obviously not of such construction or unless otherwise indicated, Opposite legs 1t) and opposite legs 11 are interconnected by cross bars 13 which are fixedly secured thereto and are of elongate tubular construction with an inner collar supporting member corresponding to member 12a, said cross bars 13 being axially aligned with the platform supporting member 12. Each pair of legs 10 and 11 united by a cross bar 13 functions as a frame with two frame units thus being formed in the arrangement shown. These frames are maintained in adjustable spaced apart relationship by elongate tubular cross bracing members 14 and 15 which are adapted for telescoping engagement and movement with respect to one another, members 14 in the form shown being adapted for insertion into the slightly larger tubular or sleeve members 15, the members 14 and 15 being hingedly mounted to the cross bars 13 by suitable collars 14a and 15a respectively. The members 14 are provided with .a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures 16 and the members 15 are provided with at least one aperture 17, said apertures 16 and 17 being adapted for alignment to selectively adjust and fix the spacing between the legs 11 of each of the frames, suitable retaining pins or bolts 18 being inserted into the suitably aligned apertures 16 and 17 to prevent relative movement between the members 14 and 15 during use.

The lower or diverging ends of the legs 11i and 11 are provided with elongated tubular extensible members 19 which in the form shown are adapted for insertion into the legs 10 and 11 and adapted for telescoping movement therewithin, said extensible leg portions 19 being provided with suitable longitudinally spaced apertures 20 which are selectively aligned with at least one aperture 21 in the legs 10 and 11, which aligned apertures 20 and 21 receive retaining pins or bolts 22 which prevent relative movement between the leg members 10 and 11 and the extensions 19 during use, and which permit the height of the horses to be adjusted as desired.

The lower ends of the extensible tubular members 19 are preferably provided with foot elements indicated generally by 23 which are preferably removably mounted thereon. The foot elements 23 in the form shown each consist of a substantially flat pedal or foot member 26 extending transversely of the extensible members 19, and pivotally mounted on members 19 by means of a pair of upstanding ears or mounting brackets 24 aixed to the upper surface of pedal 26 and disposed outwardly of member 19 and supported by a pivot pin 25 pivotally interconnecting said member |19 and ears 24. The bottom surface of the pedal 26 rests on the supporting surface such as the floor or ground and accommodates itself to the contour thereof to provide a rm stable support therefor.

The pedals 26 are also preferably of suflicient size to extend laterally inwardly of the leg members a sufcient distance to permit a workmans foot to rest thereon and maintain or hold the extensible members 19 stationary while the upper portion of the horses including the legs and 11 are raised or lowered as by lifting. Thus, the adjustable extensible arrangement of the leg portions or members 1t) and 11 with 19 permit each horse to be raised or lowered to any elevation desired and permit each individual leg unit to be independently and individually vertically adjusted to allow for unevenness in the supporting surface to maintain the platform supporting member 12, in a level horizontal position and provide a stable arrangement to prevent wobbling thereof during use.

For ease in transport or storage, each horse unit may be folded or collapsed into a completely at unit as best seen in FIG. 3 with all of the members lying in a common plane, by simply removing the retaining pin 18` which then permits the members 14 and 15 to be disengaged from one another, the swivel or hinge mounting of the members thus permitting the entire structure to fold into the completely ilat unit of FIG. 3.

To -provide a scaffold structure of the type shown in FIG. l, a scaffold structure which is vertically and longitudinally adjustable and which provides a sturdy structure for supporting a scaffold platform thereon, the sawhorse units H are simply cooperatively engaged and interconnected as shown in FIG. l. In this form the foot elements 23 are removed from one frame of each of the horses (the frames including legs 10' in the form shown). The extensible members 19 are removed from one of the said frames and the lower end of the remaining leg portions 19 of the other horse elements are simply inserted into the lower portion of the leg members 11 from which the extensible portions 19 have been removed and are longitudinally adjusted by the retaining pins 22 which are inserted into the suitably aligned apertures of the members 11 and the extensible members 19. Although in normal use the extensible members 19 will provide the common connecting member between the individual sawhorse units H, it is also obvious that it is within the scope of this invention to provide this unit with independent connecting elements of any desired length which are insertable into the coaxially longitudinally aligned legs 1t) to unite the same and provide a unitary scaffold structure of the form shown in FIG. l. Thus, in the form shown in FIG. l, the frames of each of the horses are disposed substantially at 90 degree angles from one another in set up operative condition with the legs 11 being disposed substantially vertically and the legs 1t) being disposed substantially horizontally with the telescoped members 14 and 15 providing diagonal crossbracing at the corners which effects a strong sturdy balanced structure.

The structure shown in FIG. l is readily vertically adjustable in the manner previously described for the Vsawhorse units H, which adjustment consists of simply -adjusting by telescoping movement the relative positions of the leg members 11 and their extensible portions 19. In this form of the invention the foot elements 23 are preferably also included to provide a more stable structure and for greater ease in raising and lowering the upper or main portion of the scaffolding with respect to the lower eXtensible members 19.

The cross bars 13 in themselves serve as step elements to aid the workman in climbing to the top of the scaffold. However, in many instances, the extensible leg portions 19 will have been extended considerably to raise the top of the scaffold to a high elevation in which circumstances the cross bars 13 will be considerably higher above the ground than is the normal step distance, which would make it difficult and awkward for the workmen to conveniently reach or step up to or down from the cross bar 13. To remedy this situation, I have provided one of the horses with a ladder member indicated generally by 28 in an alternate form of my invention seen in FIG. 5, which is hingedly mounted on the cross bar 13 and which depends downwardly therefrom when the horses are employed in the combined structure shown in FIG. l, and which may be swung into any out of the way position and detachably secured in such fashion when the ladder element is not needed.

In the form illustrated in FIG. 5, the ladder element 28 consists of elongate depending extensible sides including upper tubular sections 29 interconnected by a transverse step element 30, and lower tubular sections 31 telescopically engaged with the upper sections 29 and interconnected by a bottom step element 32. The upper sections 29 are hingedly mounted on the cross bars 13 by means of collars 29a, as previously described, and the ladder element 28 is provided with any suitable locking means such as retaining pin 33 which simultaneously engages the extensible member 19 and one of the lower sections 31 to detachably maintain the same in xed operative condition and prevent swinging thereof, the retaining pin being inserted in suitable openings or apertures provided in the members being relatively xed. The lower ladder section is vertically adjustable as desired, and the entire ladder assumes a position parallel to the other members and elements of the scaffolding When the same is in collapsed condition and lying in a common plane. When the ladder element is not needed, as when the extensible members 19 are substantially completely telescoped within the upper leg members 11, the ladder element 2S may be telescoped and swung upwardly and maintained in a temporarily fixed position to maintain the same in an out of the way position when not needed.

From the foregoing the advantages of my invention are readily apparent. Each of the horse units may be used independently if desired and each of the units is vertically adjustable to accommodate the workmen at different elevations. The angle between the converging legs 10 and 11 is readily adjustable to provide an adjustable angulation therebetween to adjust for differences in weight applied to the horses and also to the surface configuration of the supporting surface. The horses are readily collapsible into a completely flat unit with all of the elements thereof in a common plane and when mounted together as shown in FIG. l form a strong sturdy completely self-sufficient scaffold platform supporting structure which is also readily longitudinally or horizontally adjustable to any length of platform and is also readily vertically adjustable to raise or lower the workmen to any elevation or height desired. The entire structure shown in FIG. 1, wherein the horses are employed as a combined cooperative unit may be readily collapsed into a flat structure as such by simply removing the retaining pins 18 of each of the horses or it may be broken down or collapsed into two individual collapsed horse units by simply removing the connecting members which unite the two horse units.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes U may be made in the form, details', arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. Scaffolding structure comprising a pair of substantially identical scaffolding horse units capable of being disconnectibly and cooperatively united to form a scaffolding platform supporting structure and capable of being disconnected from one another to form independent individually usable sawhorses, said horse units including spaced apart pairs of elongate tubular leg members, each pair consisting of first and second leg members hingedly mounted for free swinging movement on a transversely extending elongate platform supporting member common to both pairs, elongate supporting elements extending between said first leg members and between said second leg members and secured thereto for simultaneous movement thereof, said supporting element being substantially transverse of said leg members and parallel with said elongate platform supporting member, and means for maintaining each pair of legs in angulated spaced apart relationship to one another, said means including elongate tubular bracing members telescopically and adjustably engaged with one another, one of said bracing members being hingedly mounted on the supporting element extending between said rst leg members and transversely thereof for free swinging movement thereabout, said other bracing member being hingedly mounted on the supporting element extending between said second leg members for free swinging movement thereon and means adjustably and selectively fixing the relative positions of said telescoped bracing members to vary the angle between said first and second leg elements, said first leg members of said horse units being detachably and adjustably interconnected by a common connecting member telescopically engaged with coaxially aligned first leg members of cooperating horse units to form in combination with said transversely extending supporting members a rectangular platform supporting frame, said second leg members depending generally vertically downwardly from said frame to provide generally upstanding vertical supports therefor, and extensible leg portions telescopically and cooperatively engaged with the lower portion of said second leg members and means for adjustably and detachably fixing the relative positions between said second leg members and extensible portions thereof to permit adjustment of the `elevation of said platform supporting frame.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 and ladder means hingedly mounted on one of said supporting elements and depending therefrom and means preventing swinging movement of said ladder during use.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 and detachable foot means associated with and carried by the lower end of said extensible portions and having a generally flat foot member pivotally mounted to said tubular construction of said foot element to permit said fiat foot element to accommodate itself to the surface configuration of the supporting surface for said scaffolding structure.

4. Scaffolding structure comprising a pair of substantially identical scaffolding horse units individually usable as sawhorses and capable of being disconnectably joined to form a scaffolding platform supporting structure, said horse units including spaced apart pairs of elongate leg members, each pair consisting of first and second leg members mounted on an elongate platform supporting member common to both pairs and disposed transversely of said leg members, at least one leg member of each pair being hingedly mounted on said platform supporting member for free swinging movement about the longitudinal axis thereof, elongate supporting elements extending between said first leg members and between said second leg members and secured thereto for simultaneous movement thereof, said supporting elements being in parallel relationship with said elongate platform supporting members, and means for maintaining each pair of legs in angulated spaced apart relationship to one another, said means including elongate bracing members adapted for longitudinally adjustable cooperative engagement with one another for selectively varying the angle between each pair of legs, one of said bracing members being hingedly mounted on the supporting element extending between said first leg members and transversely thereof for free swinging movement thereabout, said other bracing member being hingedly mounted on the supporting element extending between said second leg members for free swinging movement thereabout, and elongate connecting members adapted to extend between and disconnectably interconnect the first leg members of said horse units and maintain them in longitudinal alignment to form a rectangular longitudinally adjustable platform supporting frame defined by said first leg members, said transversely extending supporting members and said connecting members, said first leg members being capable of longitudinal movement relative to said connecting members for varying the length of said frame, said second leg members depending generally vertically downwardly from said frame when said units are so joined to provide generally upstanding vertical supports therefor, and elongate extensible and retractable leg portions cooperatively engaged with the lower portions of said second leg members for selectively adjusting the height of said platform supporting frame and for adjusting said structure to the irregularities in ground contour.

5. A scaffolding horse comprising an elongate platform supporting member, a pair of elongate first and second` leg members disposed adjacent each end of said supporting member transversely thereof and having their upper ends mounted thereon, said first leg members being pivotally mounted on said supporting member for rotation about its longitudinal axis, connecting members disposed parallel to said supporting member and extending between and rigidly interconnecting said first leg members and interconnecting said second leg members, an elongate first bracing member pivotally mounted on one of said connecting members transversely thereof for swinging movement thereabout, a second bracing member pivotally mounted on the other of said connecting members transversely thereof for swinging movement thereabout, said first and second bracing members being adapted for disconnectable telescoping engagement and movement therebetween, means for releasably locking said bracing members in a plurality of extended and retracted positions to prevent relative movement between said leg members and selectively maintain said first and second leg members in a plurality of different braced angular relationships, elongate extension members adapted for telescopic engagement with the lower end portions of each of said leg members for varying the height of said supporting member and adjusting the horse to the irregularities in ground contour, and means for locking said leg members and their respective extension members in a plurality of extended and retracted relationships.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 91,039 Phillips June 8, 1869 258,548 Blunt May 30, 1882 405,195 Ayres' June 11, 1889 542,374 Sauerbier July 9, 1895 1,725,168 Willis Aug. 20, 1929 2,325,592 Degler Aug. 3, 1943 2,360,999 Wyen Oct. 24, 1944 2,556,611 Borgman June 12, 1951 2,900,158 Ditter Aug. 18, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 841,348 Germany lune 16, 1952 1,112,565 France Nov. 16, 1955 

1. SCAFFOLDING STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL SCAFFOLDING HORSE UNITS CAPABLE OF BEING DISCONNECTIBLY AND COOPERATIVELY UNITED TO FORM A SCAFFOLDING PLATFORM SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND CAPABLE OF BEING DISCONNECTED FROM ONE ANOTHER TO FORM INDEPENDENT INDIVIDUALLY USABLE SAWHORSES, SAID HORSE UNITS INCLUDING SPACED APART PAIRS OF ELONGATE TUBULAR LEG MEMBERS, EACH PAIR CONSISTING OF FIRST AND SECOND LEG MEMBERS HINGEDLY MOUNTED FOR FREE SWINGING MOVEMENT ON A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING ELONGATE PLATFORM SUPPORTING MEMBER COMMON TO BOTH PAIRS, ELONGATE SUPPORTING ELEMENTS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FIRST LEG MEMBERS AND BETWEEN SAID SECOND LEG MEMBERS AND SECURED THERETO FOR SIMULTANEOUS MOVEMENT THEREOF, SAID SUPPORTING ELEMENT BEING SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSE OF SAID LEG MEMBERS AND PARALLEL WITH SAID ELONGATE PLATFORM SUPPORTING MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR MAINTAINING EACH PAIR OF LEGS IN ANGULATED SPACED APART RELATIONSHIP TO ONE ANOTHER, SAID MEANS INCLUDING ELONGATE TUBULAR BRACING MEMBERS TELESCOPICALLY AND ADJUSTABLY ENGAGED WITH ONE ANOTHER, ONE OF SAID BRACING MEMBERS BEING HINGEDLY MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORTING ELEMENT EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FIRST LEG MEMBERS AND TRANSVERSELY THEREOF FOR FREE SWINGING MOVEMENT THEREABOUT, SAID OTHER BRACING MEMBER BEING HINGEDLY MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORTING ELEMENT EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SECOND LEG MEMBERS FOR FREE SWINGING MOVEMENT THEREON AND MEANS ADJUSTABLY AND SELECTIVELY FIXING THE RELATIVE POSITIONS OF SAID TELESCOPED BRACING MEMBERS TO VARY THE ANGLE BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND LEG ELEMENTS, SAID FIRST LEG MEMBERS OF SAID HORSE UNITS BEING DETACHABLY AND ADJUSTABLY INTERCONNECTED BY A COMMON CONNECTING MEMBER TELESCOPICALLY ENGAGED WITH COAXIALLY ALIGNED FIRST LEG MEMBERS OF COOPERATING HORSE UNITS TO FORM IN COMBINATION WITH SAID TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING SUPPORTING MEMBERS A RECTANGULAR PLATFORM SUPPORTING FRAME, SAID SECOND LEG MEMBERS DEPENDING GENERALLY VERTICALLY DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID FRAME TO PROVIDE GENERALLY UPSTANDING VERTICAL SUPPORTS THEREFOR, AND EXTENSIBLE LEG PORTIONS TELESCOPICALLY AND COOPERATIVELY ENGAGED WITH THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SECOND LEG MEMBERS AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY AND DETACHABLY FIXING THE RELATIVE POSITIONS BETWEEN SAID SECOND LEG MEMBERS AND EXTENSIBLE PORTIONS THEREOF TO PERMIT ADJUSTMENT OF THE ELEVATION OF SAID PLATFORM SUPPORTING FRAME. 